Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-02-25

in relation to the accident on the Central
Vermont railroad, at the Hartford bridge,
Feb. ;, 1857;
STATE or VERMONT,
IL BOARD or RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS
W. X. JUNCTION, Feb. %, 1887.
The facts and circumstances attending
the above named disaster, as developed by
the testimony taken by the Board, the
several commissioners and the clerk by
direction of the Board, and by an inspec
ton of the premises shortly after the acct
dent occurred, are as follows:
Train No 30, known rs the might ex.
press" left White River junction fol-
Montreal at 2;10 o'clock, on The morning
of the 5th instant. This train was made
up at this junction in the following order
Locomotive and tender. baggage car
combination mail and smoking car, Bos
ton COACH Springfield coach. Springfield
sleeper, est Adams" and Boston sleeper
pilgrim"
The train was one hour and thirty min
utes late. The schedule place of meeting
the night express bound south from Mon
treal to Boston is Randolph. That train
was spOndingly late and train No. Sc
was under orders to meet it at Randolph
as usual, and started out accordingly at
the hour above indicated.
Inc number of passengers aboard the
train was -, distributed AS follows, viz.
In the smoking apartment of the combina-
tion mail and smoking car, 3 in the Bos-
ton COACH %; in the Springfield coach, 81
in the springfield sleeper. 8, and in the
Boston sleeper 10. The trainmen were
the conductor, engineer, fireman, two
brakemen baggage man. express messen-
ger, two postal clerks, Pullman Conduc-
tor and two Pullman porters.
The distance from White River June
ton to Hartford Gormerly known as the
WoodstockJ bridge is about four miles.
south OF the bridge is curve Of three de
grees and IS minutes in the track, which
becomes stlaightagain about 142 feet from
the bridge and so continues for some rods
beyond the bridge. From point some 80
rods south of the bridge to a point about
1872 feet therefrom the grade is slightly
downward, when it becomes level and so
continues to 4 point just beyond the
bridge.
a a point $40 feet from the abutment
at the south end Of the bridge, while the
traln was moVingat speed of less than II
miles an hour, the rear sleeper "Pilgrimn
was thrown from the rails but kept the
rOaG-0eu until 1t came upon the bridge
when the rear end swung to the right side
of the track to the deck of the bridge and
thence to the frozen river below, dis
lance OF 43 feet, drawing with it the sleep
er and the two coaches in front, all of
which were crushed in the wreck upon
the ice. The coupling between the Boston
coach and the combination mai ana smok-
ing car broke or unclasped so that the rest
Of the train was saved.
Fire soon broke out from the wreck in
several places and it is clearly in proof be
fore the board that some of the cars i'm
mediately took fire and within ID minutes
from the time they fell to the ice they
were all developed in flames which reach
ed and set fire to the bridge. which soon
fell alongside the burning cars, the wind
blowing the flames of the burning timbers
directly upon them. The intensely cold
Weatner-lS' below zerO-added To the
peril of those who survived.
THE DEAD.
The list of passengers who lost their
lives in the disaster is as follows:
Edward f. Dillon. Springfield.
James 4. Stone, Burlington.
Edgar Wilder, st. Adams.
D. ID. woodward, Waterway.
Samuel s. Wescott, burlington.
George }. Bell, Bellows Falls.
Mrs. William Devi9o, Winoosii.
Frank l.. Wesson, Springfield, Mass
Harry Brooks, Boston, Mass.
Francis Flynn, Worcester. Mass.
Peter BmIs, Warren, Mass.
Fred Blais, Warren, Mass
Francis Boulanger Holyoko, Mass.
Miss AnastlSH BOulangcr, HOlyOke Mass.
Miss Nancy Dunbar, SOmervI!lc, Mass.
Miss Delima I}rodeur Nashua, N. III,
Louis b. james, New Haven, Conn.
Charles CtdieuX, rockville, Conn.
Herbert \. Thayer, Chateaugay, NY.
Cephas NILS, IrOquOis, Ont
Peter McLuin, Actonvale, p. q.
DlcudOnne MaIgrct, Shawinigan. Z. ..
Miss Arm.nie Gurard, Upton. T.. q.
Miss Agnes Rogers, Lakehod, Pc.
And that of the trainmen Is as follows
smith C SIurtevant, st. Adams. VT. DON
pu"tor.
Edward Brocltebanks, Lebanon, N. II.
brakeman
NJ r. burgess, Boston, Mass. Pullman con
ductOr.
a; j. Hammer, Maiden, Mass, coorcd porter
"Pigrim. ~
j, II, Jones Boston, Mass, ooorcd porter
"St. Adams
THE INJURED.
The list Of passengers known to be in
jured is as follows:
Hon. Henry Mott, A lburVh.
Henry W. rewksbury, West Randolph.
Julius c. Hutchins Montgomery.
Z. w. futile, Tunbridge.
William Dcvino, Jr.. WinOuSki.
Miss Persis II. FOllctt. Sharon.